The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has directed the arrest and prosecution of an Air Peace staff member accused of blocking the Lagos airport runway during Tuesday’s union picketing of the airline.
The protest was carried out by the National Union of Air Transport Employees, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, with support from the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress.
The unions accused some domestic airlines of failing to remit the mandatory five per cent Ticket Sales Charge and of discouraging workers from joining trade unions.
During the enforcement of the picketing, a driver allegedly drove a bus onto the runway and abandoned it, forcing the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to tow the vehicle away to restore movement.
Confirming the incident, NCAA spokesperson Michael Achimugu said the driver would face sanctions.
“We have ordered that the driver in question be identified and arrested for onward prosecution. How can somebody block the runway? That is seriously uncalled for. We’ll investigate, and the necessary portions of the act will be invoked,” he stated.
Air Peace, however, denied the allegation. Spokesperson Efe Whiskey-Osifo dismissed claims that the vehicle obstructed the runway, challenging critics to provide evidence. “The bus did not block the runway. Do you know what a runway is?” she queried.
The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between aviation unions and domestic airlines over remittances, workers’ rights, and compliance with regulatory obligations.
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